UNIVERSITY   OF  CALIFORNIA      AGRICULTURAL    EXPERIMENT    STATION 
COLLEGE    OF    AGRICULTURE 
BERKELEY 


BENJ.   IDE    WHEELER,    PRESIDENT 
THOMAS    FORSYTH    HUNT.    DEAN   AN  D   Dl  RECTO  R 


CIRCULAR  No.  99 
(June,  1913) 


HATCHING  AND  REARING 
OF  CHICKS 


BY 


J.  E.  DOUGHERTY 


Chicks  taken  from  the  brooder  after  they  were  old  enough  to  do 
without  artificial  heat  and  put  out  on  range  in  colony  houses. 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  PRESS 
BERKELEY 


HATCHING  AND  REARING  OF  CHICKS 


BY 
J.  E.  DOUGHERTY 


Vigor  in  Breeding  Stock.  The  first  and  most  fundamental  require- 
ment for  the  production  of  strong,  healthy  chicks,  is  healthy  breeding 
stock.  We  cannot  expect  fowls  to  produce  eggs  with  strong  embryos 
unless  they,  themselves,  are  full  of  health  and  vigor.  Health  is  that 
condition  of  a  fowl's  body  in  which  every  organ  and  every  body  cell 
is  doing  its  full  share  of  work  and  running  smoothly.  Unless  a  hen 
is  in  splendid  health,  she  cannot  devote  her  best  energies  to  the  pro- 
duction of  vigorous  chicks.  If  a  fowl  used  for  breeding  is  at  all  weak 
or  diseased,  every  energy  of  the  body  organism  is  devoted  to  ridding 
it  of  its  unhealthy  condition;  and  the  reproductive  organs,  which  in 
health  would  be  turning  all  their  efforts  to  the  production  of  strong, 
fertile  eggs,  must  lend  their  aid  in  ridding  the  body  of  disease  germs. 

Breeding  stock  lacking  strong  vitality  and  vigor  produce  eggs  with 
weak  embryos,  which  in  turn  produce  poor  hatches  of  weak,  puny 
chicks.  Constitutionally  vigorous  breeding  stock,  on  the  other  hand, 
is  bound  to  lay  eggs  with  strong  germs,  and  such  eggs  cannot  help, 
if  given  half  a  chance,  hatching  robust,  healthy  chicks.  As  one  well- 
known  poultryman  puts  it,  ' '  Chicks  from  vigorous  breeding  stock  will 
hatch  and  grow  in  spite  of  you,  they're  so  vigorous  and  strong." 
Healthy  chicks  are  easy  to  rear  with  ordinarily  good  care  because  their 
very  vigor  and  health  act  as  a  buffer  against  disease  and  dietary 
troubles. 

Selecting  Vigorous  Breeders.  The  constitutionally  strong  bird 
should  have  a  sleek,  well-groomed  appearance,  a  confident,  proud  bear- 
ing, and  clean-cut  action.  The  head  should  be  blocky,  the  beak  short 
and  blunt,  eyes  round,  full  and  richly  colored,  wattles  and  ear  lobes 
quite  smooth,  well  developed  and  of  good  bright  color.  The  comb 
should  be  of  good  size,  well  set  on  the  head,  smooth  in  texture  and  of 
a  rich  red  hue.  A  popular  axiom  among  poultrymen  is  that  the  hen 
carries  her  health  certificate  on  her  head.  A  long  thin  beak,  dull, 
snaky  eye,  with  hollows  in  front  of  the  eye  socket,  and  pale,  anaemic 
comb,  do  not  exist  on  the  constitutionally  vigorous  fowl. 

The  body  must  be  deep  and  broad  with  a  good  full  breast,  wide 
back,  and  well-developed  abdomen.     The  legs  too  must  be  stocky  and 


set  well  apart,  with  the  thighs  well  muscled  and  the  shanks  showing 
good  color  and  sturdy  appearance.  Last,  but  not  least,  are  the  toes. 
The  length  of  a  hen's  toe  nails  indicates  her  worth.  A  busy,  active 
hen  will  have  short,  stubby  toe  nails  from  digging  and  scratching  so 
hard,  whereas  a  lazy  or  weak  hen  will  be  disinclined  to  work,  and  as  a 
consequence,  its  nails  will  be  long  and  curved. 

The  principal  point  of  the  whole  question  is  that  the  vigorous 
breeder  is  the  healthy,  active  one  with  a  well  built,  roomy  body  in 
which  the  egg  organs  are  in  fine  condition  to  withstand  the  strain  of 
reproduction  and  have  space  enough  to  develop  large,  strongly  fertile 
eggs.  Good  housing,  abundant  range,  and  proper  feeding  are  half 
the  battle  in  producing  strong  eggs  for  hatching.  The  other  half  is  an 
intimate  knowledge  of  vigorous  birds  and  a  willingness  to  cull  out 
those  that  are  inferior.  It  takes  both  halves  to  bring  success.  One  is 
useless  without  the  other. 

Breed  from  Hens.  The  production  of  a  large  egg  containing  a 
strong  embryo  and  plenty  of  nourishment  requires  that  a  hen  possess 
well-matured  reproductive  organs.  It  is  necessary  that  the  embryo 
not  only  have  plenty  of  space  within  the  shell  in  which  to  grow  but  also 
be  supplied  with  an  abundance  of  food  materials  with  which  to  make 
that  growth.  A  pullet  does  not  ordinarily  possess  reproductive  organs 
sufficiently  well  developed  to  produce  such  an  egg.  Therefore,  a  pullet 
does  not  produce  as  good  hatching  eggs  and  is  not  as  desirable  for 
breeding  purposes  as  is  the  yearling  hen.  The  pullet  must  necessarily 
utilize  some  of  her  energies  in  further  growth  and  development.  After 
attaining  her  full  size,  she  still  has  to  fill  out  and  mature,  as  well  as 
strengthen  her  laying  organs  through  use. 

Among  the  Mediterranean  class  of  fowls  such  as  the  Leghorn  and 
Minorca,  the  males  seem  to  develop  sexually  more  rapidly  than  the 
females.  Well-developed  Mediterranean  cockerels  are  therefore  very 
often  used  as  breeders  when  mated  with  yearling  hens.  The  ideal 
mating,  however,  for  breeding  purposes,  is  that  of  vigorous  yearling 
cocks  with  well-developed  yearling  hens. 

Care  of  Breeding  Stock.  Having  selected  the  most  vigorous  fowls 
as  breeders,  their  continued  health  can  only  be  maintained  by  good 
housing,  good  feeding  and  good  care  generally.  In  other  words,  the 
breeders  must  be  so  cared  for  that  they  are  both  comfortable  and 
contented. 

The  houses  should  be  of  the  open  front  type  so  that  the  fowls  are 
supplied  with  an  abundance  of  fresh  air  at  all  times  without  drafts. 
Small  cracks  and  knot-holes  through  which  drafts  of  cold  air  can 


reach  the  birds  cause  them  to  catch  colds  and  develop  "running 
noses."  Colds  are  dangerous  to  the  vigor  of  the  hens  because  they 
prepare  the  way  for  those  other  justly  dreaded  diseases,  Roup  and 
Canker.  Every  poultry  house  must  be  absolutely  tight  and  draft 
proof  on  three  sides,  if  the  health  of  the  fowls  is  to  be  maintained  and 
best  results  secured. 

The  fowls  need  a  dry,  protected  place  where  they  can  dig,  scratch, 
and  bask  in  the  sun  on  cold,  wet  days.  A  scratching  pen  therefore  is 
an  indispensible  part  of  a  good,  comfortable  house.  AVhere  roosting 
houses  only  are  used,  the  hens  are  forced  either  to  remain  on  the 
roosts  during  stormy  days  or  else  paddle  around  in  the  rain,  becoming 
wet,  bedraggled  and  chilled  through.  Such  conditions  being  so  utterly 
lacking  in  comfort,  quickly  reflect  themselves  in  a  falling  off  of  the 
egg  yield,  a  lowering  of  the  general  vigor  of  the  flock  and  the  produc- 
tion of  weakly  fertilized  eggs.  The  results  secured  in  the  poultry 
business  are  in  direct  proportion  to  the  care  and  attention  given  to 
the  comfort  of  the  fowls. 

If  possible,  the  breeders  ought  to  have  free  range.  Plenty  of 
range  stimulates  hardiness  and  vigor,  which  make  for  hardier  offspring. 
If  free  range  for  the  breeding  fowls  is  out  of  the  question,  give  them 
as  much  ground  to  roam  over  as  can  be  spared  for  the  purpose.  The 
results  obtained  in  vigor  of  the  chicks  hatched  will  make  it  well  worth 
while. 

On  free  range,  good  vigorous  males  will  often  care  for  from 
twenty  (20)  to  twenty- five  (25)  females,  but  when  confined  in  limited 
space  the  male  is  not  so  active  and  ten  (10)  to  fifteen  (15)  females  to 
each  male  is  about  right.  The  amount  of  service  a  cock  will  give 
depends  a  great  deal  on  the  bird.  A  vigorous,  proud,  combative  male 
will  care  for  a  large  number,  whereas  another  less  sturdy  one  will 
serve  only  a  few. 

The  cock  that  calls  to  his  mates  when  he  finds  a  choice  morsel  and 
then  stands  proudly  by,  while  they  eat  it,  is  the  one  that  makes  the  best 
breeder.  Such  gallant  cocks  need  to  be  watched  to  see  that  they  eat 
enough,  for  they  will  invariably  stand  back  and  let  the  females  fill  up 
before  eating  a  bit  themselves.  The  strong  breeding  male  is  also  a 
ready  fighter.  The  bird  that  will  not  show  fight  when  the  keeper 
pokes  his  foot  at  him  is  lacking  in  that  fighting  spirit,  which  is  one  of 
the  strong  points  of  a  choice  male,  and  the  cock  that  has  once  been 
thoroughly  whipped  is  never  as  good  a  breeder  afterwards.  Gallantry 
and  the  fighting  spirit  are  unfailing  signs  of  the  hardy,  vigorous, 
breeding  male. 


During  the  mating  season,  an  active  male  will  often  get  out  of 
condition  from  serving  the  females  too  frequently.  For  this  reason 
the  males  should  be  removed  from  the  pen,  one  at  a  time,  so  that  each 
one  will  get  a  couple  of  days '  rest  per  month  in  a  coop  by  himself  and 
entirely  away  from  the  females.  One  service  will  fertilize  the  eggs  for 
five  to  fourteen  days,  so  that  there  is  no  danger  of  causing  any  lower- 
ing of  fertility  by  giving  the  males  a  needed  rest  each  month. 

Feeding  the  Breeders.  Spring,  the  natural  breeding  season,  is  the 
best  time  to  hatch  strong  hardy  chicks.  The  hens,  at  this  season,  are 
in  prime  breeding  condition  and  produce  a  greater  per  cent  of  vigorous 
chicks  from  the  eggs  set  than  at  any  other  period  of  the  year.  It  being 
the  natural  mating  season,  all  the  energies  of  the  fowls  are  bent  toward 
the  production  of  young.  Therefore,  the  breeders  should  be  so  handled 
as  to  retard  laying  until  Spring. 

The  fowl  that  lays  all  Winter  has  had  too  great  a  drain  on  her 
reproductive  organs  to  be  in  condition  to  lay  strongly  fertile  eggs  for 
hatching.  When  Spring  comes,  those  of  her  eggs  which  prove  fertile 
may  not  only  possess  weak  germs,  but  many  of  them  will  be  infertile 
because  the  male  instinctively  pays  much  more  attention  to  those  hens 
just  beginning  to  lay  than  to  those  that  have  been  laying  continuously 
for  quite  a  period.  Thus  hens  beginning  to  lay  in  the  Spring  not  only 
receive  more  attention  from  the  males,  but  are  in  condition  to  produce 
strong  eggs  because  they  have  not  undergone  the  strain  of  heavy 
Winter  production. 

Feed  largely  of  grain  during  Fall  and  Winter  and  remove  all 
forcing  feeds  from  the  mash.  Green  bone  and  green  stuffs  such  as  kale, 
roots,  sprouted  barley,  etc.,  should  be  fed  sparingly  and  no  stimulating 
foods  used  at  all.     Give  all  the  exercise  possible. 

The  aim  with  breeding  fowls  is  to  save  up  all  their  strength  and 
energies  so  that  they  can  instill  every  atom  of  their  vitality  into  the 
hatching  eggs  laid  in  the  Spring.  Quality  not  quantity  is  what  is 
wanted  from  the  hens  that  produce  the  chicks. 

Selecting  Eggs  for  Hatching.  Care  and  judgment  should  be  exer- 
cised in  the  selection  of  the  eggs  that  are  to  produce  the  future  layers. 
These  eggs  should  be  rigidly  selected  for  (1)  size,  (2)  uniformity  of 
size,  (3)  shape,  (4)  uniformity  of  shape,  (5)  color,  (6)  uniformity 
of  color,  (7)  shell  texture.  Eggs  with  weak  shell  texture  break  very 
easily  when  being  turned  during  incubation.  Those  that  are  either  too 
large  or  too  small  make  the  work  of  turning  more  difficult  because 
of  the  lack  of  uniformity  in  size.  Brown  eggs  ordinarily  hatch 
approximately  twenty-four  hours   later   than   white   eggs,   and   it   is 


therefore  not  advisable  to  mix  brown  with  white  eggs  in  the  same 
incubator.  Further  the  good  sized  egg  will  hatch  a  heavier  chick  than 
a  small  one.  The  small  chick  is  seriously  handicapped  when  forced 
to  compete  for  food  and  warmth  with  the  larger  and  stronger  ones. 

Like  tends  to  produce  like.  If  constant  and  rigid  selection  along 
the  above  lines  is  practiced  in  picking  out  the  eggs  for  hatching  it 
should  follow  that  uniformly  good  chicks  will  be  hatched.  If  the 
shape  and  size  of  an  egg  are  inherited  characters,  continued  careful 
selection  of  hatching  eggs  should  result  in  the  development  of  a  flock, 
in  a  few  years,  in  which  all  the  hens  will  lay  uniformity  large,  well- 
shaped,  evenly  colored  eggs  of  good  shell  texture.  Size  must  be  an 
inherited  character  because  the  laying  of  large  eggs  is  a  breed  char- 
acteristic of  the  Minorca.  Color  of  eggs  is  also  a  breed  character. 
Therefore  it  is  reasonable  to  assume  that  the  selection  of  choice  eggs 
weighing  from  twenty-four  to  twenty-six  ounces  per  dozen,  and  which 
have  been  carefully  selected  for  uniformity  of  size,  shape  and  color, 
will  not  only  make  the  handling  of  those  eggs  during  incubation 
easier  but  will  result  in  the  building  up  of  a  flock  that  will  average  a 
larger  percentage  of  ' '  extras. ' '  Every  increase  in  the  number  of  good 
sized  eggs  laid  by  a  given  flock  means  an  increased  profit  to  the  owner. 

Keeping  Eggs  for  Hatching.  Eggs  intended  for  hatching  should 
be  kept  in  a  dry  place  and  at  a  uniform  temperature  of  about  fifty 
degrees  F.  A  rack  of  drawers  built  against  the  wall  of  a  cellar  is  a 
good  place  to  save  eggs.  The  drawers  should  be  pulled  out  and  the 
eggs  turned  once  daily.  Another  simple  scheme  is  to  pack  the  eggs  in 
a  thirty-dozen  case  as  they  are  selected  each  day.  The  case  can  be 
laid  on  its  side  one  day,  its  top  the  next,  the  other  side  the  next  and 
so  on  so  that  the  eggs  are  turned  a  little  each  day.  Hatching  eggs 
ought  not  to  be  over  two  weeks  old  when  set.  The  sooner  they  are 
set  after  the  animal  heat  has  left  them,  the  better. 


INCUBATION 

Natural  Versus  Artificial  Incubation.  Unless  the  flock  is  large 
enough  to  warrant  the  use  of  at  least  a  medium-sized  incubator,  it  is 
better  to  continue  using  hens.  However,  where  conditions  warrant, 
the  use  of  an  incubator  means  a  big  saving  in  labor,  and  the  bother 
of  waiting  for  broody  hens  is  eliminated.  Moreover,  hatching  can  be 
done  whenever  desired  and  the  chicks  will  be  more  free  from  lice  than 
hen-hatched  chicks,  unless  extra  care  is  taken  in  dusting  the  hen. 


Hatching  with  Hens.  The  best  results  will  be  obtained  when  the 
hens  are  set  on  the  ground.  Repeated  experiments  have  demonstrated 
that  where  hens  were  set  in  this  way  stronger,  bigger  chicks  were 
hatched  than  from  those  set  in  nests  that  were  off  the  ground.  If  it 
is  not  convenient  to  build  outdoor  nesting  coops  or  there  is  no  shed 


Hen      Brooder 

(Built       Knock       Down  ) 


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with    wine    netting 


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Cross     Section 


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Figure      1. 
Note. — Three  screws  at  each  corner  are  all  that  are  needed  to  assemble  above 
brooder  ready  for  use.    Partition  between  nests  slides  in  grooves  between  cleats. 
Cover  lifts  off. 


available  with  a  dirt  floor,  and  the  hens  have  to  be  set  in  nests  with 
wooden  bottoms,  cut  a  square  of  fresh  sod  and  lay  it  in  the  bottom 
of  the  nest  box  just  before  the  eggs  are  put  in.  Then  put  on  top  just 
sufficient  straw  to  hold  the  eggs  in  the  center. 


The  setting  hen  coop  shown  in  Figure  1  is  a  very  simple  and  con- 
venient one  in  which  to  care  for  Biddy  and  her  brood.  The  reader 
will  observe  that  there  is  a  removable  partition  in  the  rear  part  of  the 
coop.  This  partition  is  left  in  at  first  so  that  two  hens  can  be  set  at  a 
time.  The  coop  has  no  bottom,  but  is  set  out  in  the  field  on  the  ground. 
When  setting  the  hens,  a  square  of  sod  is  placed  in  each  nesting  com- 
partment so  as  to  raise  the  eggs  above  the  ground  level,  and  the  straw 
nest  is  made  upon  the  sod.  The  hens  should  be  allowed  to  sit  on  china 
eggs  for  a  few  days  before  giving  them  good  eggs,  in  order  to  let  them 
get  used  to  the  coop,  and  also  to  see  if  they  are  really  in  earnest  about 
wishing  to  set.  Just  before  putting  the  good  eggs  under  them,  the 
hens  should  be  dusted  with  an  effective  lice  powder,  (see  page  20) 
and  a  little  of  the  powder  sprinkled  over  the  nest. 

As  soon  as  the  two  hens  have  brought  off  their  chicks,  the  egg 
shells  and  old  nesting  materials  should  be  cleaned  out,  the  partition 
removed  and  all  the  chicks  given  to  one  hen.  The  other  hen  can  then 
be  reset  with  another  in  a  similar  coop  and  allowed  to  keep  her  second 
brood.    Both  hens  should  be  dusted  again  at  this  time. 

In  that  portion  of  the  coop  covered  with  the  movable  wire  panel 
are  kept  the  feed  hopper  and  water  pan  for  the  hens  while  they  are 
setting.  This  space  is  large  enough  to  allow  the  hens  to  stretch  and 
dust  while  setting,  and  for  the  young  chicks  to  run  in  for  the  first  few 
days.  Later  both  hen  and  chicks  can  be  allowed  free  range,  for  they 
will  return  to  the  coop  at  night. 

How  to  Run  an  Incubator 

The  Lamp.  The  lamp  should  be  thoroughly  cleaned,  the  burner 
boiled  in  soda  water  and  a  new  wick  put  in  before  the  machine  is 
started. 

In  beginning  the  hatch,  use  a  medium  flame  and  adjust  the  ther- 
mostat to  that  flame.  If  too  small  a  flame  is  used  to  start,  at  end  of 
hatch  in  warm  weather,  the  flame  cannot  be  turned  low  enough  to  keep 
the  temperature  from  running  up.  If  too  high  a  flame  is  used  the 
lamp  will  smoke. 

The  lamp  should  be  cleaned  and  filled  every  morning  after  turning 
the  eggs.  If  it  is  filled  before  turning  the  eggs,  the  hands  being 
smeared  with  oil  from  the  lamp,  will  leave  a  coating  of  oil  on  the  eggs 
and  cause  serious  injury  to  the  growing  embryos.  Trim  wick  with  a 
burnt  match  after  filling  by  simply  rubbing  off  the  charred  crust,  and 
then  wipe  away  all  dirt  and  oil  from  all  parts  of  lamp  before  replacing 
in  the  incubator.    Do  not  ordinarily  trim  wick  with  scissors. 


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Disinfection.  Before  and  after  every  hatch,  the  incubator  should 
be  thoroughly  washed  and  sprayed  and  the  movable  parts  placed  in.  the 
sun  to  dry.  Thoroughly  cleanse  every  part  with  soap,  water  and  a 
good  scrubbing  brush.  A  few  hours  before  putting  in  the  eggs  spray 
all  parts  of  the  interior  with  a  spray  pump  using  some  good  disin- 
fectant such  as  cresol,  a  five  per  cent  solution  of  carbolic  acid,  or  any 
of  the  "eum"  preparations.  The  fumes  of  the  disinfectant  will  not 
only  penetrate  every  crack  and  cranny,  in  the  hot  interior  of  the  egg 
chamber  but  will  also  disinfect  the  exterior  of  the  eggs  and  kill  any 
bacteria  or  mold  spores  that  may  be  on  the  surface  of  the  shells. 

Locating  the  Incubator.  Put  the  machine  in  a  room  where  the 
temperature  remains  fairly  uniform  at  all  times  and  where  there  is 
plenty  of  ventilation  without  drafts.  A  cellar  is  usually  best  because 
it  is  well  protected  from  the  direct  rays  of  the  sun  and  the  tempera- 
ture is  uniformly  low.  The  proper  temperature  for  an  incubator  room 
is  sixty  degrees  F.  In  this  climate,  good  ventilation  is  easily  secured 
by  removing  the  windows  and  inserting  in  their  stead  frames  covered 
with  light  muslin.  The  air  will  pass  through  the  muslin,  but  all  winds 
will  be  shut  out. 

Having  located  the  incubator,  level  it  with  a  spirit  level  and  see 
that  all  parts  are  in  satisfactory  working  order.  Leveling  is  very  im- 
portant, for  if  the  machine  is  not  level,  it  means  that  one  part  of  the 
egg  tray  is  higher,  and  the  eggs  in  that  part  of  the  tray  are  therefore 
getting  more  heat  than  the  others. 

Beginning  the  Hatch.  Start  the  incubator  a  few  days  before  put- 
ting in  the  eggs  to  warm  it  up.  After  the  machine  is  thoroughly 
heated  up  continue  to  adjust  the  regulator  until  the  temperature  re- 
mains steadily  at  102  degrees  F.  for  twenty-four  hours,  with  center  of 
thermometer  bulb  on  a  level  with  top  of  eggs.  When  the  operator  is 
sure  that  the  regulation  is  correct  the  eggs  should  be  put  in.  It  is 
usually  best  to  do  this  in  the  morning  so  that  the  eggs  may  become 
warmed  and  the  temperature  returned  to  102  degrees  F.  before  bed 
time. 

After  the  eggs  are  put  in,  the  temperature  will  drop  and  return 
very  slowly — but  do  not  touch  the  regulator.  The  temperature  will 
readjust  itself  to  102  degrees  F.  again  in  a  few  hours,  or  as  soon  as  the 
eggs  become  heated.  After  careful  adjustment  of  the  regulator  before 
putting  in  the  eggs  it  is  not  necessary  nor  advisable  to  touch  it  again 
until  the  second  week,  when  the  temperature  should  be  raised  to  102% 
to  103  degrees.  Do  whatever  daily  regulation  is  required  by  raising 
or  lowering  the  flame. 


ii 


Thermometer.  In  order  to  be  certain  that  the  thermometer  is  cor- 
rect, the  operator  should  test  it  himself  with  a  clinical  thermometer. 
Place  both  thermometers  in  hike  warm  water  and  while  stirring,  add 
hot  water  slowly  until  the  clinical  thermometer  registers  103  degrees, 
and  observe  whether  the  incubator  thermometer  gives  a  similar  read- 
ing. If  not,  the  operator  knows  that  at  103  degrees  the  incubator  ther- 
mometer reads,  say,  IO214  degrees,  and  must  allow  for  this  error  in 
running  his  incubator.  Faulty  thermometers  have  caused  more  damage 
in  the  way  of  poor  hatches  than  is  generally  realized. 

Temperature.  In  all  incubators  the  temperature  is  regulated  or 
controlled  by  a  thermostat.  The  all  metal  thermostat  (see  figure  2) 
consists  of  three  pieces  of  metal  riveted  together  at  the  ends  and  is  de- 
signed on  the  principle  that  different  metals  expand  different  definite 
amounts  for  every  degree  F.  rise  in  temperature,  and  contract  the  same 
amounts  for  every  degree  F.  fall  in  temperature.  The  central  piece  of 
metal  (h  figure  2)  does  not  expand  or  contract  as  much  for  each  degree 
of  change  in  temperature  as  do  the  two  outside  pieces.  As  a  result, 
since  all  three  pieces  are  riveted  at  the  ends,  the  two  outside  pieces,  ex- 


(a)  Counterpoise  weight.  (&)  Regulator  arm.  (c)  Connecting  rod.  (d)  Thumb  nut. 
(«)  Pivot  casting.  (/)  Heater  disc.  (</)  Cotton  batting  filling  between  inside  and  outside 
cases.  (h)  Thermostat.  (»)  Egg  chamber.  (;)  Moisture  pan  filled  with  sand  kept  wet. 
(A-)  Nursery,  (m)  Bottom  ventilator  for  escape  of  air  from  egg  chamber,  (n)  Insulation  in 
bottom  of  incubator.  (p)  One  of  four  pipes  to  discharge  air  from  above  level  of  eggs  into 
false  bottom  beneath  egg  chamber.  (r)  Fresh  air  intake.  (s)  Outlet  for  escape  of  lamp 
fumes.     No  fumes  can  get  into  machine. 


Cross-section  of  a  hot  air  heated  incubator  showing  the  method  of  regulating 
the  temperature,  the  ventilation  system,  and  the  general  construction. 


12 

panding  more  rapidly  than  the  center  piece,  when  the  temperature 
rises,  are  forced  outward  in  the  middle.  This  buckling  or  spreading 
apart  of  the  two  outside  pieces  of  metal  in  the  thermostat  causes  a 
downward  pull  on  the  connecting  rod  (c),  which  in  turn  pulls  on  the 
lever  arm  (b)  and  raises  the  disc  (f)  off  of  the  heater,  allowing  the 
surplus  heat  to  escape. 

When  the  temperature  in  the  incubator  rises  above  the  desired  tem- 
perature, the  expansion  of  the  thermostat  lifts  the  disc  from  y2  inch  to 
iy2  inches  above  the  heater  allowing  the  surplus  heat  to  escape.  But 
just  as  soon  as  the  temperature  returns  to  its  proper  place,  the  disc 
lowers  again.  If  the  temperature  of  the  machine  should  drop,  below 
the  running  temperature,  the  thermostat  will  contract  and  allow  the 
disc  to  settle  down  on  the  heater,  tightly  closing  the  opening  and 
forcing  all  the  heat  into  the  egg  chamber. 

There  are  a  number  of  different  kinds  of  thermostats  and  heat  regu- 
lating devices  used  on  different  makes  of  machines,  but  they  are  all 
based  on  this  principle  of  the  expansion  and  contraction  of  a  ther- 
mostat to  control  the  amount  of  heat  entering  the  egg  chamber. 

In  the  type  of  heater  shown  in  figure  2  the  fumes  from  the  lamp 
cannot  get  into  the  egg  chamber,  but  must  escape  through  the  opening 
(s).  The  fresh  air  (as  shown  by  arrows)  is  heated  by  the  lamp  as  it 
is  drawn  into  the  opening  (r).  It  passes  into  the  top  of  the  incubator 
and  then  diffuses  through  a  burlap  or  muslin  diaphragm  into  the  egg 
chamber.  After  circulating  around  the  eggs  and  absorbing  the  carbon 
dioxide  thrown  off  by  the  eggs  and  giving  up  oxygen,  the  air  current 
then  passes  through  the  openings  at  the  sides  of  the  egg  chamber  and 
escapes  through  the  bottom  of  the  machine. 

For  the  first  week  the  temperature  should  stand  at  102  degrees,  the 
second  week  at  103  degrees,  and  the  third  week  at  103  degrees  where 
the  center  of  thermometer  bulb  is  on  a  level  with  the  top  of  the  eggs. 
Hanging  thermometers  having  center  of  thermometer  bulb  above  the 
tops  of  the  eggs  need  to  be  run  higher  according  to  the  height  of  bulb 
above  eggs,  because  the  heat  comes  into  the  egg  chamber  from  the  top 
and  the  nearer  the  thermometer  is  to  the  top  of  the  egg  chamber  the 
higher  it  will  read  when  a  standing  thermometer  on  a  level  with  the 
tops  of  the  eggs  registers  the  correct  temperature.  While  chicks  are 
hatching,  it  can,  and  invariably  does,  run  up  to  104  degrees  without 
doing  any  harm. 

Moisture.  Some  machines  use  moisture,  some  do  not,  but  all  need 
moisture,  except  when  the  weather  is  very  damp.  One  of  the  best  ways 
to  supply  this  moisture  when  using  a  non-moisture  machine,  is  to  keep 


13 

the  floor  well  soaked.  The  evaporation  of  moisture  is  in  proportion  to 
the  surface  of  water  exposed  to  the  air,  so  that  wetting  down  the  floor 
exposes  a  large  water  surface  and  enables  the  air  to  become  well  satur- 
ated before  entering  the  incubator.  The  purpose  of  such  moisture  is 
not  to  supply  it  to  the  egg  but  to  keep  the  air  entering  the  incubator 
moist  enough  not  to  take  up  moisture  from  the  eggs  and  thus  rob  the 
embryo  of  the  water  it  absolutely  needs  in  order  to  develop  into  a 
strong  lusty  chick. 

Ventilation.  During  the  growth  of  the  embryo  it  has  for  its  food 
supply  the  stored  up  food  within  the  egg.  In  the  digestive  and  assimi- 
lative processes  through  which  this  food  has  to  go,  while  being  changed 
into  body  tissue,  heat,  and  energy,  oxygen  is  absolutely  necessary. 
Without  oxygen  these  processes  could  not  go  on  and  the  embryo  would 
die.  The  blood  is  the  great  stream  which  carries  oxygen  to  the  body 
cells  of  the  growing  embryo  and  carries  away  the  injurious  carbon 
dioxide  which  these  cells  throw  off.  If  an  egg  is  held  before  the 
tester  on  the  7th  day,  a  net  work  of  blood  vessels  can  be  seen  just 
under  the  shell  and  near  the  air  cell.  The  blood  stream  carries  the 
waste  product,  carbon  dioxide  through  this  network  of  vessels  lying  so 
close  to  the  outside  in  order  that  it  may  escape  through  the  pores  of 
the  shell  or  into  the  air  cell. 

Therefore  plenty  of  fresh  air  is  essential  to  the  production  of 
strong,  vigorous  chicks,  because,  during  the  process  of  growth  taking 
place  within  the  shell,  the  egg  gives  off  carbon  dioxide  and  takes  up 
oxygen  just  as  a  person  in  breathing  exhales  carbon  dioxide  and  inhales 
oxygen.  In  order  to  carry  off  carbon  dioxide  "exhaled"  by  the  grow- 
ing embryo  and  supply  it  with  all  the  oxygen  it  needs,  a  good  system 
of  ventilation  (see  figure  2)  is  necessary.  Unless  that  ventilation  is 
such  as  to  carry  fresh  air  into  the  egg  chamber  as  rapidly  as  it  is  needed 
and  carry  away  the  carbon  dioxide  as  rapidly  as  it  is  given  off  by  the 
eggs,  the  embryos  will  not  thrive  as  they  should,  and  the  resulting 
chicks  will  lack  vitality.  In  the  better  types  of  incubators,  the  ventila- 
tion system  is  good  and  works  automatically,  thus  relieving  the  oper- 
ator. Always  follow  the  directions  accompanying  the  incubator  until 
sufficient  experience  has  been  gained  to  enable  the  operator  to  act  in- 
telligently in  making  any  change  that  appears  advisable.  Experience 
with  the  machine  may  prove  that  the  change  first  thought  necessary 
may  not  be  at  all  a  good  one.  When  the  chicks  are  all  hatched,  open 
the  side  ventilators  wide  to  give  them  plenty  of  air.  If  they  still  pant, 
take  a  match  stick  and  wedge  the  door  open  a  little. 


14 

Turning.  Begin  turning  after  24  hours  >and  turn  morning  and 
night  until  the  19th  day.  Make  the  turning  periods  as  near  twelve 
hours  apart  as  possible.  Turn  for  the  last  time  the  morning  of  the 
19th  day  if  eggs  are  not  pipped,  otherwise  do  not  turn  on  the  19th 
day,  but  leave  the  machine  closed,  and  do  not  disturb  again  until  after 
hatch  is  finished. 

In  turning  roll  the  eggs  slowly  with  the  palms  of  the  hands — they 
will  not  break.  It  is  not  necessary  that  the  eggs  be  completely  turned 
over.  All  that  is  required  is  that  the  egg  be  shifted  around  and 
shaken  up  a  little  so  that  the  embryo  will  not  stick  to  the  shell.  Rolling 
the  eggs  with  a  rotary  motion  of  the  hand  exactly  answers  the  purpose 
and  is  rapid. 

Cooling.  The  purpose  of  cooling  is  to  thoroughly  air  the  eggs  and 
strengthen  the  embryo.  It  corresponds  to  the  opening  of  the  windows 
by  the  housewife  and  airing  the  bedroom  each  morning.  The  incu- 
bator door  should  not  be  left  open  while  cooling.  The  aim  is  to  cool 
the  eggs,  not  the  incubator.  The  hen's  body  temperature  is  the  same 
when  she  returns  to  the  eggs  as  it  was  when  she  left  them.  So  it 
should  be  with  the  incubator. 

In  setting  the  eggs  out  to  cool  do  not  allow  part  of  the  tray  to 
project  beyond  the  table  or  incubator,  or  the  eggs  will  cool  unevenly 
and  those  in  the  projecting  part  of  the  tray  will  become  chilled  by 
the  time  the  others  are  ready  to  go  back  into  the  machine.  Begin  the 
cooling  the  7th  day  and  cool  every  evening  when  eggs  are  turned. 
Cool  a  little  at  first  and  gradually  lengthen  the  cooling  period  as  the 
hatch  advances.  A  most  satisfactory  way  to  tell  when  the  eggs  are 
cooled  sufficiently  is  to  hold  the  small  ends  of  a  few  to  the  eye.  When 
they  feel  barely  warm  the  eggs  are  cooled  enough.  A  little  experience 
will  make  one  expert  in  gauging  the  cooling  period.  They  will  cool 
down  very  rapidly  at  first,  but  as  the  embryos  develop  and  contain 
animal  heat  of  their  own  they  will  cool  down  very  slowly.  In  the 
month  of  May,  20  to  60  minutes  is  often  required  to  cool  eggs  that 
have  been  14  to  18  days  in  the  incubator.  The  amateur  usually  errs 
on  the  side  of  too  little  rather  than  too  much  cooling. 

Testing.  Test  on  the  7th  and  14th  days  at  night,  because  that  is 
the  time  the  cooling  is  done.  The  first  test  will  remove  all  infertile 
and  dead  germs  up  to  that  period.  The  infertile  eggs  are  still  per- 
fectly good  and  can  be  used  in  cakes.  The  writer  has  known  them  to 
be  so  used  and  considers  them  as  good  as  cold  storage  eggs  for  cooking 
purposes.  The  dead  germs  at  7th  day  test  contain  either  blood  clots 
or  blood  rings.     Every  egg  in  wrhich  a  dark  movable  black  spot,  little 


15 

larger  than  a  pinhead,  with  numerous  radiating  blood  vessels,  is  not 
distinctly  visible  should  be  discarded  as  worthless.  Good  strong  eggs 
only  will  hatch  good  vigorous  chicks.  On  the  14th  day  the  strong 
eggs  will  be  opaque  and  nearly  black  and  if  such  an  egg  be  held  still 
before  the  tester,  the  embryo  can  be  seen  to  move.  Dead  germs  at 
this  time  contain  either  blood  rings,  blood  streaks  or  are  perfectly 
translucent  and  cloudy.* 


Fig.  4 


Dead  germ,  7th  day 


Fertile  egg,  7th  day 


Infertile  egg 


The  Hatch.  After  the  last  turning,  close  up  the  incubator  and  do 
not  disturb  it  again,  except  to  fill  the  lamp,  until  the  hatch  is  over. 
As  soon  as  all  the  chicks  have  dried  off,  open  wide  the  ventilators, 
remove  the  egg  tray  and  all  the  eggshells,  and  wedge  open  the  door 
with  a  match  stick  so  as  to  harden  the  little  fellows.  Darken  the  egg 
chamber  by  hanging  a  cloth  in  front  of  the  glass  door  to  keep  chicks 
from  picking  at  the  droppings  and  each  other's  toes.  After  twenty- 
four  (24)  hours  remove  them  to  the  brooder  in  a  flannel  lined  and 
hooded  basket.  A  chilling  draught  striking  them  at  this  time  would 
prove  disastrous. 

The  Brooder.  There  are  a  great  many  factors  which  enter  into 
the  ideal  system  of  brooding,  but  the  most  important  ones  are : 

1.  Safety  from  fire. 

2.  Plenty  of  sunlight. 

3.  Ease  of  cleaning. 

4.  Roomy  hover. 

5.  Plenty  of  scratching  space  for  chicks  to  exercise  in. 

6.  Good  ventilation  without  draughts. 

7.  Easy  maintenance  of  a  uniform  temperature. 


*  Distinguishing  the  Sex.  It  is  held  that  a  round  egg  will  hatch  a  pullet, 
whereas  a  long,  pointed  egg  will  develop  a  lusty  eockeral.  After  repeated  exper- 
imenting, the  author  can  assure  the  reader  that  the  shape  of  the  egg  has  nothing 
whatever  to  do  with  the  sex  of  the  embryo.  There  are  no  exterior  indications 
whatever  of  the  sex  of  the  embryo. 


16 

8.  Provision  of  means  whereby  the  chicks  can  get  away  from  the 
heat  of  the  hover  and  into  a  cooler  place. 

9.  Ease  of  caring  for  chicks. 

All  of  the  above  points  are  self-explanatory,  and  need  no  further 
comment,  but  the  writer  desires  to  emphasize  point  No.  8.  In  a  brooder 
where  a  place  is  provided  so  that  chicks  can  get  away  from  too  much 
heat  under  the  hover  there  is  no  danger  of  overheating,  as  the  little 
fellows  will  go  toward  the  cooler  atmosphere.  Under  such  conditions 
the  heat  can  be  kept  a  bit  high  to  avoid  all  risks  of  chilling  and  the 
chicks  will  spread  out  where  it  is  most  comfortable. 

Very  often  little  chicks  that  have  been  out  in  the  run  will  become 
cold  and  run  into  the  brooder  and  under  the  hover  to  warm  up.  In 
order  that  they  may  warm  up  quickly  a  higher  hover  temperature  is 
necessary  than  is  ordinarily  wanted  by  the  flock.  If  the  hover  tem- 
perature is  only  just  high  enough  to  be  comfortable  for  those  chicks 
that  have  not  been  exercising  out  of  doors,  the  chicks  that  have  been 
outdoors  and  become  rather  cold  will  not  find  the  hover  temperature 
high  enough  to  warm  them  up  quickly.  As  a  result  they  will  crowd 
against  their  warmer  fellows  in  order  to  get  the  benefit  of  their  body 
heat,  and  the  weak  ones  will  be  crowded  off  their  feet,  trampled  on 
and  smothered.  But  if  the  hover  temperature  is  kept  high  enough 
to  quickly  warm  up  any  chicks  that  may  become  chilled  and  a  good 
sized  scratching  area  provided  outside  the  hover  where  the  chicks  can 
go  after  becoming  thoroughly  warmed,  the  evils  of  crowding  will  be 
done  away  with  and  the  chicks  will  at  all  times  adjust  themselves  to 
the  degree  of  heat  that  suits  them  best. 

It  is  like  a  man  coming  in  from  out  of  doors  on  a  freezing  winter 
day.  He  will  rush  to  the  hot  stove  to  warm  up  and  get  the  ' '  chill  out 
of  his  bones,"  but  as  soon  as  he  has  become  well  warmed  he  will  go 
away  from  the  stove  and  sit  down.  The  glowing  stove  is  hardly  hot 
enough  when  he  first  comes  in  from  out  of  doors,  but  it  soon  begins 
to  feel  too  hot.  So  it  is  with  chicks.  It  is  cheaper  to  burn  a  little 
extra  fuel  than  to  have  a  lot  of  chicks  killed  by  crowding.  Outdoor 
exercise  is  essential  to  develop  strong  chicks,  but  they  must  have  a 
place  to  go  to  warm  up  quickly  when  they  get  cold. 

Preparing  the  Brooder.  Previous  to  putting  the  chicks  into  the 
brooder  the  latter  should  be  thoroughly  scrubbed  out  with  water  and 
then  sprayed  with  a  good  coal  tar  disinfectant.  (See  page  20.) 
After  drying  out,  the  heat  should  be  turned  on  and  the  temperature 
under  the  hover  regulated  to  100°  F.  The  floor  of  the  brooder  should 
be  covered  with  fine  sand  and  a  board  fixed  so  as  to  keep  the  chicks 


17 


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penned  close  to  the  heat  for  a  day  or  so,  until  they  learn  themselves 
to  go  under  the  hover  when  they  get  cold. 

Although  the  little  fellows  are  removed  to  the  brooder  after  24 
hours,  they  are  not  fed  for  from  60  to  72  hours  after  the  hatch  is 
completed.  When  the  chick  leaves  the  shell  its  digestive  apparatus 
contains  a  considerable  amount  of  unabsorbed  yolk.  Until  this  is 
thoroughly  digested  and  absorbed  into  the  blood  the  chick's  delicate 
little  stomach  is  not  ready  to  receive  other  food.  If  grains  or  mash 
are  eaten  too  soon  the  digestive  organs  will  become  upset  and  diar- 
rhoea result.  One  of  the  primary  causes  of  diarrhoea  in  young  chicks 
is  that  of  feeding  too  soon  after  they  are  hatched.  Another  is  over- 
feeding. Day-old  chicks  have  been  sent  long  distances  without  a  bite 
to  eat,  and  not  only  arrived  in  good  condition  but  thrived  better 
afterwards.  This  was  due  to  the  fact  that  they  were  good  and  hungry 
by  the  time  they  reached  their  destination.  When  the  chicks  are  first 
taken  to  the  brooder  only  a  fountain  of  water  is  put  before  them. 
They  will  immediately  begin  picking  at  the  sand  on  the  floor  and 
drinking  water.  This  prepares  and  hardens  the  crop  for  the  reception 
of  other  food. 

For  the  first  two  days  a  grain  mixture  composed  of  equal  parts 
of  fine  cracked  wheat,  fine  cracked  corn  and  steel  cut  oats  is  fed  in 
a  wooden  chick  hopper  and  left  before  them  all  the  time  so  that  they 
can  pick  away  at  the  grains  and  thus  learn  how  to  eat.  They  will  do 
a  whole  lot  of  picking  at  first,  but  really  swallow  very  little.  As  soon 
as  the  chicks  have  learned  to  eat,  scatter  the  grains  on  the  sand  for  a 
day  to  teach  them  to  scratch.  Then  put  in  a  light  litter  of  cut  alfalfa 
or  clover.  From  the  time  the  litter  is  put  in  the  chicks  should  be 
made  to  scratch  for  all  their  grain.  Plenty  of  exercise  keeps  the 
system  toned  up  and  is  the  best  preventative  for  the  many  ills  to  which 
little  chicks  are  subject.  Later  on  cut  straw  can  be  used  instead  of 
the  cut  clover  or  alfalfa,  but  for  the  first  couple  of  weeks  the  latter 
is  best,  as  the  chicks  will  eat  the  finer  parts  and  it  will  do  them  good. 
Pieces  of  straw  would  cause  inflammation  if  taken  into  the  crop  at 
this  tender  time  of  the  chick's  life. 

Beginning  with  the  sixth  day  a  dry  mash  composed  of  2  parts  of 
bran,  2  parts  of  shorts,  1  part  of  cornmeal  or  barley  meal,  2  parts  of 
beef  scrap,  1  part  of  powdered  bone,  and  .3  parts  of  powdered  char- 
coal by  weight  is  fed  at  10  o'clock.  For  the  next  two  weeks  the  litter 
is  kept  very  deep  and  the  grain  mixture  scattered  in  it  early  in  the 
morning  and  about  2  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  with  a  feeding  of  dry 
mash  at  10  a.m.    As  the' chicks  develop  the  dry  mash  should  gradually 


19 

be  left  before  them  for  longer  intervals,  until  by  the  time  they  are 
from  eight  to  ten  weeks  old  they  have  access  to  the  mash  at  all  times. 

As  soon  as  possible  the  little  fellows  should  be  given  an  opportunity 
to  run  out  of  doors  during  fine  weather.  Contact  with  the  ground 
and  the  exercise  out  of  doors  has  a  beneficial  effect  and  causes  the 
chicks  to  grow  more  rapidly.  Just  as  soon  as  they  have  obtained 
sufficient  size  and  age  to  do  without  heat  they  should  be  put  in  a 
summer  house  and  given  all  the  range  possible.  The  grain  ration  and 
dry  mash  may  then  both  be  fed  in  hoppers  and  plenty  of  green  food 
fed  if  it  is  not  available  on  the  range.  Half  grown  chicks  receiving 
plenty  of  range  will  be  too  busy  chasing  around  after  bugs  and  tender 
bits  of  herbage  to  over  eat  from  the  hoppers,  and  the  fact  that  they 
can  thus  be  hopper  fed  with  the  feed  before  them  all  the  time  will 
save  a  great  deal  of  time  and  labor.  However,  if  they  must  be  kept 
in  small  yards  throughout  the  season,  it  would  be  advisable  and  prac- 
tically necessary  to  hand  feed  the  mash  and  grain  mixture  at  all  times. 
The  main  point  in  feeding  any  kind  of  fowl,  no  matter  what  their  age, 
is  to  see  that  they  are  never  overfed  and  always  get  plenty  of  exercise, 
so  that  their  bodies  are  always  in  a  healthy  condition  and  can  easily 
digest  the  food  eaten.  Overfeeding,  lack  of  exercise,  and  unsanitary 
conditions  are  bound  to  result  in  severe  losses. 

White  diarrhoea  is  the  worst  foe  the  little  chich  has  to  fight.  While 
there  are  two  or  three  types  of  diarrhoea  caused  by  bacteria  and  fungi, 
the  principal  and  most  common  causes  of  ordinary  diarrhoea  are : 
(1)  Overheating;  (2)  chilling;  (3)  feeding  too  soon ;  (4)  overfeeding; 
(5)  unsanitary  conditions. 

In  removing  the  chicks  from  the  incubator  the  operator  must  be 
very  careful  that  the  chicks  are  well  protected  from  draughts  and 
that  they  do  not  become  chilled  in  that  way.  Again,  he  must  be 
further  careful  that  the  heat  in  the  brooder  is  kept  sufficiently  high 
for  the  first  few  days,  so  that  the  little  chicks  show  their  contentment 
by  poking  their  heads  through  the  curtain  around  the  hover.  A  chill 
at  this  time  is  disastrous.  However,  after  the  first  few  days  the  heat 
can  be  gradually  decreased  without  harm.  To  avoid  overfeeding  feed 
sparingly  in  a  deep  litter,  and  make  the  chicks  exercise  for  all  they 
get.  To  insure  thorough  sanitation,  thoroughly  spray  the  brooder 
before  putting  in  each  new  lot  of  chicks  with  a  5  per  cent  solution  of 
some  good  coal  tar  dip,  clean  out  frequently,  locate  it  so  that  plenty 
of  sunlight  enters  where  the  chicks  are,  and  on  warm  days  give  a  good 
airing  about  noon. 


20 


SUMMARY 


(1)  Lack  of  vigor  in  breeding  stock,  (2)  improper  care  of  eggs 
for  hatching,  (3)  faulty  methods  of  incubation,  (4)  improper  methods 
of  brooding  and  feeding  the  chicks,  and  (5)  bacterial  or  fungus  dis- 
eases are  the  causes  underlying  poor  results  in  the  rearing  of  chicks. 
One  or  more  of  these  causes  is  at  the  bottom  of  every  failure  to  suc- 
cessfully pull  the  youngsters  through  the  danger  period.  Study  your 
problem  carefully,  eliminate  every  one  of  the  above  evils,  and  success 
will  result.  The  rearing  of  chicks  calls  for  intelligent  and  painstaking 
care  365  days  of  the  year. 


FORMULAE  FOR  LICE  POWDER  AND  CRESOL  DISINFECTANT 
Lice  Powder: 

iy2  pints  gasolene; 

y2  pint  commercial  cresol; 

4  quarts  plaster  of  paris. 
First,  mix  the  gasolene  and  cresol  together  and  then  slowly  stir  in  the  plaster 
of  paris  until  all  the  liquid  is  taken  up.  Use  enough  of  the  plaster  of  paris 
to  absorb  the  liquid  and  no  more.  Spread  the  resulting  brownish  powder  on 
sheets  of  paper  to  dry  and  then  store  away  in  covered  cans.  To  use,  take  a 
large  baking  powder  can,  punch  the  cover  full  of  holes  with  a  six-penny  nail 
and  fill  the  can  with  the  powder.  This  makes  a  good  sifter  to  thoroughly  sift 
the  powder  into  the  feathers  around  the  vent  and  under  the  wings,  while  an 
assistant  is  holding  the  hen  up  by  the  shanks.  Work  the  powder  into  the 
feathers  with  the  fingers.  This  is  one  of  the  best  powders  the  writer  has  ever 
used.    It  is  also  one  of  the  cheapest. 

Cresol  Disinfectant: 

3y2  quarts  raw  linseed  oil; 

1  lb.  6  ozs.  commercial  lye  or  Babbitt's  potash; 

y2  pint  water; 

8y2  quarts  commercial  cresol. 
Take  a  clean  five-gallon  stone  crock  and  pour  into  it  the  three  and  one-half 
quarts  of  raw  linseed  oil.  Then  dissolve  the  commercial  lye  in  just  enough 
water  to  thoroughly  dissolve  it — one-half  pint  is  usually  sufficient.  Allow  the 
lye  solution  to  stand  a  few  hours  until  cold.  Then  pour  it  very  slowly,  con- 
stantly stirring,  into  the  crock  of  linseed  oil.  Take  four  or  five  minutes  in 
adding  the  lye  solution  to  the  linseed  oil.  Continue  stirring  for  20  to  30  minutes 
until  a  smooth,  thick  soft  soap  is  formed.  Then  stir  in  the  commercial  cresol, 
which  will  dilute  and  blend  with  the  soap  to  form  a  clear,  red  brown  liquid. 

A  3  per  cent  mixture  of  the  above  stock  solution  is  strong  enough  for  all 
ordinary  disinfection,  as  cresol  is  extremely  powerful  in  its  action.  When 
diluted  in  this  way  a  thin  milky  liquid  results,  which  can  be  applied  with  brush 
or  spray  pump.  The  latter  is  best,  because  with  it  the  disinfectant  can  be 
forced  into  every  crack  and  crevice,  thus  insuring  a  perfect  job. 


